Your grandparents might have problems with kids these days, but they probably don’t with Kids These Days.
That is, the combination of soul, blues, jazz, rock, and hip-hop made by the seven-piece Chicago collective Kids These Days, a group comprised entirely of, well, kids.
“There’s not that many young people trying to make music like we are,” said 18-year-old vocalist Macie Stewart.
And when Stewart says young, she means it — every member of the band is either 18 or 19 years old.
Kids These Days, who will play at Jammin’ Java on Monday, have a unique sound that stems from the various musical backgrounds of each member. Guitarist and lead vocalist Liam Cunningham grew up listening to heavy blues and jazz, while drummer Greg Landfair Jr. has gospel roots. Stewart herself may be the most eclectic — she’s trained in classical music.
“We just bring our own personalities to the music and that’s how it comes together,” Stewart said.
Last year, the young artists made the decision to take a year off from school and pursue music and touring full-time. They’re now working on a follow-up to their five-track EP Hard Times, a mixtape called Trap House Rock.
“It’s kind of live sampling,” Stewart said of Trap House. “We take our biggest influences and make new songs out of the old ones.”
The live dynamic present on Trap House will aim to build off the reputation Kids These Days has gained from its live shows, earning rave reviews from The Wall Street Journal and Chicago Sun-Times after its performance at Lollapalooza.
“Our live shows are completely different from what’s on our EPs,” Stewart said. “We like to bring a lot of energy to the stage.”
While Stewart and her fellow teenage band members are confident in their performing abilities, they know they’re still learning. They have been mentored by tour mates Trombone Shorty and his band Orleans Avenue, a group known for their dynamic live performances.
“They’re really teaching us a lot about how to put on a show, because their live shows are ridiculous,” Stewart said. “So that’s definitely been a big help.”
So seven Chicago teenagers are currently receiving their education not from a teacher in a classroom, but from a 25-year-old trombonist and his band while touring the country. While most kids these days are often told to stay in school, Kids These Days is hoping its decision to play hooky for a year might pay off.
“When we first started the band, I don’t think we thought it was really gonna go anywhere,” Stewart said. “Out of nowhere, we started getting a bunch of recognition. I think for the future if we keep going at the rate that we are, we’ll get on bigger tours, we’ll definitely have an album coming.”
One thing’s for sure: Kids These Days is definitely looking forward, rehearsing every day and hoping to get bigger. Because even though Stewart loves touring, seeing new places, and making music all the time, there’s one thing she said the band wants that can only be achieved with more recognition.
“We’d like to have money to live on our own,” Stewart said.
Maybe the members of Kids These Days aren’t so different from kids these days after all.
Kids These Days will be at the Jammin’ Java in Vienna, Va., on Monday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 advance, $13 day of show.
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